Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published April , 2007 La Provence a la Besh Reopens In Lacombe Chef Chris Kerageorgiou is in that great kitchen in the sky, but his restaurant is back open. His favorite (and most successful) protege, John Besh, is the owner now. But the fact that Chris's portrait remains on the cover of the menu tells us whose spirit continues to guide it. La Provence closed for a few weeks after Chris's death. That was not only to regroup and let Besh get a grip, but also to do some repairs to the kitchen and painting around the building, which hasn't had much of that in the last five years. But forget any fears that Besh will make drastic changes to the thirty-five-year-old restaurant. The person who informed me of the reopening was "Just Joyce," the distinctive waitress (and poet-in-residence) who's so much a part of the restaurant that her presence alone speaks of continuity with the past. The hours are more or less the same--Wednesday through Sunday nights, with a slightly earlier opening time at noon on Sundays now for brunch. However, the dramatically underpriced early-evening specials followed Chris to Valhalla. In their place is an all-evening three-course menu with a few choices for prices in the mid-$20s. John Besh really must have his hands full. In addition to La Provence, he still runs his flagship Restaurant August pretty much hands-on, with the Besh Steakhouse in Harrah's Casino running with less immediate attention. Beyond that, Besh and his partners are working on the former Cobalt restaurant, which will open as a French bistro named Luke in the coming months. Which also makes me think that La Provence will run largely on momentum. Which is probably a good thing, since Chris's Mediterranean-French menu was like no other. La Provence. 25020 US 190. 985-626-7662. © 2007 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com